Author
Topic: When people disipline your pets. (Read 10047 times)

For me, part of the disconnect is that once a pet has jumped on or licked a guest, it's too late. Guests should not be allowed to discipline pets or any member of the family when the behaviour is not impacting the guest. But once the family member has licked or jumped the guest, that is unacceptable behaviour. Honestly, if a cat jumps on my lap, or a dog licks me, I'm not sure what my instinctive reaction would be. But if I was escorted out for it, it would be for the brst anyway because I won't be in a home where any faily member is allowed to touch me against my will.

There really isn't any need to discipline The Cat, he is well behaved and rarely does something he knows he's not supposed to do. The only time he really gets in trouble is when one of us is trying to make food in the kitchen and if it's something he likes, he wants it NOW! Only then will we discipline him, otherwise he's a good cat.

We don't let anyone discipline The Cat, only to let us know he's doing something wrong so we can be the ones to do it. The first and only time someone did that (smacked him on the head for jumping onto a wooden chair that was no where near a table or food), the person in question was told that they had five minutes to get their belongings, get out of the house, start their car, drive off, and don't come back -- otherwise they would be chased out by one of us with the biggest knives we can get our hands on. It wasn't the best way to go about it but it told this person loud and clear that they were not allowed back.

It isn't their place to discipline your pets. Just as it isn't your place to comment on how they keep their home. It isn't anyone's place to walk into someone else's home and comment on pets' behaviour, children's behaviour or discipline (or lack thereof) or colour of the downstairs loo. Sure, it's anyone's place to think these things, but to act on them and actually begin trying to exert any power or control? Absolutely rude, rude, rude.

Of course, where danger is concerned (esp with pets/kids, but not exclusively), things are gonna be slightly different, but as a general rule, just no. Keep out of it. OP mentioned she had a handle on this already, it was quite unnecessary for anyone to "jump in" and use their own means of "discipline" at all.

Their house, their cats, their choices on how to deal with behaviour. End of.

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